Nutcracker



G. BOKOR.

NUTCRACKER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 3o. 192|'.

Patented Nov. 2l, 1922.,

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atented Nov..r El, 1922.

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GZA IBOKOR, QF MELROSE PARK, ILLINOIS.

NUTCRACKER.

Application i'led November 30, 1921. Serial No. 518,956.

To all whom 'it may concer/n: f

Be it known that l, `Grizn Bonon, a subject of Hungary, residing at Melrose Park, in the county of Cool; and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful improvements in Nutcraclrers, of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates `to devices for breaking the shell of nuts, and its object is to provide a device of this kind embodying certain novel and improved structural details, and modes of operation to be described in detail hereinafter, the device being designed more particularly yfor `facile operation and for preventing crushing of the meat of t-he nuts.

The object stated is attained by means of a combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that the same maybe better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification. 1

ln the drawing, Figure 1 is. an elevation of the device; Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly in section, illustratingfthe'operation of the device, and Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections on the lines 3-3 and el--respectively of? Fig. 2.

Referring specificallyto the drawing, 5 and 6 denote two pivotally connected levers, the connection being made at one end by a suitable pivot pin 7, and` the other ends of the levers being shaped to form 'hand-grips. The device is of such size that it may be conveniently graspedl and operated by one hand. The levers areheld normally spread by a spring 8 coiled around the pivot 7 and having its free ends pressing against the inside of the levers. 1

Adjacent to the `pivot Y, the lever 5 has a recess 9 opening through its inner edge, in which recess 9 are pivotally mounted two jaw members 10 and 11 which protrude sufficiently from said yedge to engage the nut to be cracked. The protruding edge portions of the jaw members have concavely curved and serrated portions to obtain a firm grip on the nut, and-the opposite or inner edge of the lever 6 has similarly curved jaw `faces 12 for engaging the nut. llhe jaw 10 is nearer the pivot 7 than' the jaw 11, and it is designed for operating on small nuts, whereas the jaw 11 is designed for operating on large nuts. The jaw faces 12 are properly located with respect to the nut-engaging surfaces of the jaw members 10 and 11 to cooperate with the latter for gripping the nuts.

The'levers 5 and Gare made of channeled stock, the channels facing each other, and the jaw members 10 and 11 seating in the recess or channel 9 of the lever 5. The jaw faces 12 are on a channel shaped insert 12"* seating in the channel of thelever 6, and secured therein by rivets or other suitable fasteners 12b. 1 f

In the-face ofthe jaw member 111s a recess Vl1a and opposite the same, the jaw face 12 has a recess 11b. The purpose of these recesses is to facilitate the breaking of the shells of the pecan nuts, the ends of the same being seated in the recesses, so that the pressure is applied against the ends of the nuts, whereby they are made to crack more readily.

' Theadjacent ends of the jaw members 10 and 11 are connected so that they may rock together, a pin-and-slot connection 13 being provided for this purpose. The pivotal connection of the jaw member l0 kwith the lever 5 is shown at 14, and that of the jaw member l1 at 15, these connections being at the ends of the j aw members remote from their pivotally` connected adjacent ends. It will therefore be seen that when either jaw memberis forced inwardly, the other member partalres of the same movement. A spring 16 in the recess 9 bears against the pin 13 in such a way that the jaw members normally protrude from the inner edge of the lever 5.

The'k levers 5 and 6 are connected by a curvedy rack bar 17 having its teeth on its concave side which faceskthe pivotal connection 7. One end of the rack bar 17 eX- tends loosely through the channel 9 and a guide aperture 9a in the rear wall thereof rearwardly of the jaw member 11, and on the rear edge of said jaw member are teeth 18 which are adapted to become interlocked `with the teeth of the rack bar when said jaw member is rocked as hereinbefore described by pressure of the nut thereagainst or against the jaw member 10. The other end of the rack bar passes loosely into the channel 19 of the lever 6. A cross pin 20 carried by lever 6 andlextending through a longitudinal slot 21 in the rack bar provides a loose connection between the rack bar and the lever, and permits a limited sliding movement of the former relative to the latter. The end of the rack bar which passes through and protrudes trom the lever 5 has a side pin or other abutment 22 to prevent withdrawal ot this end or' the rack bar from said lever.

The back of the lever 6 carries a bridge piece 23 through which is threaded a screw 2a having its inner end opposite the end of the rack bar 17 19, and between said end of the-rack bar and the bridge piece is located a coiled spring 25 which opposes the movement of the rack bar in the direction of the screw.`

.ln operation, the nut to be cracked is placed between the jaw member 10 or 11 and the opposite seat 12, according to the size of the nut, the levers 5 and 6 being swung toward each-other to cause the nut to be gripped. Upon continuing to press the levers together, the jaw 10 is first rocked backwards, which movement is communicated to jaw member 11, whereupon the teeth 18 off the latter become interlocked with the teeth or the rack bar 17. The rack bar is now locked to the lever 5, and upon continuing to press said lever and the lever 6 together, the rack bar slides in thechannel 19 until it is stopped by striking the screw 2d as shown in llig. 2. The length of the stroke of the rack bar governs the eX- tent ot the travel oi" the levers 5 and G toward each other, and consequently the eXtent of the crushing action. The screw 211 can-be advanced or retracted to shorten or lengthen the stroke according to the character oi` the nut or the thickness oll its shell, it being understood that the screw is to be ad justed to obtain a stroke just su'flicient to craclr the shell of the nut without crushing or bruising the meat. For nuts having a thin shell, a very short stroke is sufficient to crack the same, 'whereas nuts having a thick shell require a longer stroke. The stroke is readily regulated by adjustment oi the screw 24e. The action hereinbetore described also takes place it the nut is placed between the jaw member 11 and the opposite jawl face 12 or' the lever 6, the initial action being` the rocking of said jaw member to interlock its teeth 18 with the teeth of the rack bar 17.

'Upon releasing the grip on the levers 5 and 6 they spread to release the nut, this action being effected by the spring S which was compressed when the levers were drawn together. When the pressure of the nut against the jaw members 10 or 11 is. released, said members arefrestored by the spring 16 to their normal position, and upon moving to this position, vthe teeth 18 ot jaw member 11 are disengaged 'from the teeth or the rack bar 17 so that the rack bar is now uncoupled from the lever 5.

l claim:

1. A nut cracher comprising a pair ci p ivotedlevers. one ot said levers having a aw which works in the channel face, a movable jaw member carried by the other lever opposite the jaw tace, means sociated with the levers tor gaging the er.- tent of the closing movement thereof, said means being normally inoperative, and means operable by the movement of the jaw member to place the aforesaid gaging means in operative position.

2. A nut cracker comprising a pair oi pivoted levers, one ot said levers having a pair of jaw faces, a pair or movable jaw members carried by the other lever opposite the jaw faces, and connected to move together, means associated with the levers for gaging the extent ont the closing movement thereof, said means being normally inoperative, and means operable by the movement oi2 either or the aforesaid jaw members to place the aforesaid gaging means in` operative position.

3. A nut-cracker comprising a pair otpivoted levers, one of said levers having a jaw lace, a movable jaw member carried by the other lever opposite the jaw face, a bar spanning the levers and having a slidable connection therewith, means operable by the movement of the jaw member for coupling the bar to the lever carrying said jaw member, and a stop'carried by the other lever 'for limiting the sliding movement of the vbar relative to said lever when coupled as aforer mentioned.

4. A nut cracker comprisingy a pair of pivoted levers, one of said levers having a jaw tace, a movable jaw member carried by the other lever opposite the jaw tace, a rack bar spanning the levers and having a slidable connection therewith, means operable by the movementv of the jaw member Jfor coupling the rack bar to the lever carrying said ja v member, said means being teet-h on the jaw member whichinterlock with the teeth oi. the rack bar when the jaw member is moved, and a stop carried by the other lever for limiting the sliding movement o'lZ the rack bar relative to said lever when coupled as aforementioned.

5. A nut cracker comprising a pair of pivoted levers, one oin said levers having a jaw tace, a movable jaw member carried by the other-lever opposite the aw face, a bar spanning the levers and having a slidable connection therewith, means operable by the movement of the aw member for coupling the bar to the lever carrying said jaw member, and an adjustable stop carried by the other lever for limiting the sliding movement of the bar relative to said lever when coupled as aforementioned.

6. A nut cracker comprising a pair ot pivoted levers, one of said levers having a j aw tace, a movable jaw member carried by the other lever opposite the jaw face, a rack bai` spanning the levers and having a slidable connection therewith, means operable by the movement of the jaw member for coupling the rack bar to the lever carrying said jaw member, said means being teeth on the javv member Which interloek'vvith the teeth of the rack bar When the jaw member is moved, the other lever having a recess into which the rack bar slidably extends, a cross-piece spanning the recess, and a screw carried by the cross-piece opposite the end of the rack bar for limiting its sliding movement relative to the last-mentioned lever when coupled as aforesaid.

7. A nut cracker Comprising a pair of pivoted levers, one of said levers having a jaw face, a movable jaw member carried by the other lever opposite the jaw face, a rack bar spanning the levers and having a slidable connection therewith, means operable by the movement of the jaw member for coupling the rack: bar to the lever carrying said jaw member, said means being' teeth on the jaw member which interlock With the teeth of the rack bar when the jaw member is moved, the other lever having a recess into which the rack bar slidably extends, a cross-piece spanning the recess, a screw carried by the Crosspiece opposite the end of the rack bar for limiting its sliding movement relative to the lastmentioned lever When coupled as aforesaid, and a spring interposed between the cross-piece and the adjacent end-of the rack bar.

ln testimony whereof l aix my signature.

GZA BoKoR. 

